National Museum of Natural Science

Order Perissodactyla, Family Brontotheriidae

Oligocene (25 million years before present)

South Dakota, USA

Herbivore

Members of the genus Brontotherium are extinct mammals of the Order Perissodactyla, with a height of 2.5 meters at the shoulders. They were more physically imposing than modern rhinoceroses. They had forked, horn-like protrusions on the snout that were blunt at the end. These were used as weapons during the competition for mates and for defense. They mainly inhabited the North American grasslands, and fed on grasses.

Brontotherium sp.